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If there’s a clear selection of challengers at Wimbledon in the men’s draw, the ladies’ singles remains a complete minefield of unpredictability.

Serena Williams aside, consistency has not been any female player’s strong suit over the past five years, with no other player able to lift more than two majors.

There have been four new Grand Slam champions in the past five events and there is great strength in depth in the WTA Tour.

As with most other Slams in recent times, it feels as if anyone could win it and Maria Sharapova and Serena Williams’ returns to the All England Club has only made the pool stronger.

Here we try and break down the draw and attempt to predict a winner.

What happened last year?

Muguruza lifted the title (Picture: Kyodo/Getty)

Garbine Muguruza was at her brutal best as she stormed to a first Wimbledon title.

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The Spaniard dropped just one set en route to her second Grand Slam crown, bagelling Venus Williams in the final in assured manner.

Venus’ sister Serena, the defending champion, was absent from the draw due to pregnancy, while Sharapova had avoided any controversy over a potential wildcard by skipping the grass-court season with injury.

Britain’s Johanna Konta enjoyed a stunning run to the semi-finals, only to be denied a place in the final by Venus.

What’s happened in the grass-court season?

Wozniacki picked up a title in Eastbourne (Picture: AFP/Getty)

Australia’s Ash Barty kicked off the build-up to Wimbledon in style as she downed Konta in the final of the Nottingham Open.

The biggest titles were picked up by Petra Kvitova and Caroline Wozniacki.

Kvitova triumphed in the first WTA Premier event in Birmingham – beating 2017 Wimbledon semi-finalist Magdalena Rybarikova in the final to defend her title – before Caroline Wozniacki defeated Belarus’ Aryna Sabalenka to triumph in Eastbourne.

Belgium’s Flipkens did lift an ITF title, however, beating Britain’s Katie Boulter in the final.

How did the draw pan out?

Halep has a tough draw (Picture: Getty)

Top seed Simona Halep’s quarter looks rather stacked, with Kvitova, Konta and Sharapova all bunched together, along with the in-form Flipkens.

In the same half, Muguruza will have her work cut out with Barty, former finalist Angelique Kerber, Naomi Osaka and Caroline Garcia all lurking.

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The top quarter of the bottom section of the draw contains Karolina Pliskova, Venus Williams and Sloane Stephens, though all could be in danger of falling early, while Serena Williams is due to meet Elina Svitolina in the third round in the final quarter that also contains Madison Keys, Coco Vandeweghe and Wozniacki.

What about the Brits?

Dart meets Pliskova (Picture: Getty)

There are some fiendishly difficult ties for the Britons to negotiate.

Naomi Broady will meet defending champion Muguruza in the first round, while Katy Dunne makes her debut against former French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko and fellow debutant Harriet Dart takes on Pliskova.

Heather Watson faces a test against Flipkens, Katie Swan meets Irina Begu and Gabriella Taylor will battle it out with former finalist Eugenie Bouchard.

Who is the favourite?

Kvitova is the favourite (Picture: Getty)

Two-time champion Kvitova has been installed as the favourite to claim a third title, closely followed by Serena Williams.

Muguruza is the only other player to be ranked at 10/1 or shorter, with Halep, Pliskova, Keys, Stephens, Wozniacki all at 20/1 or less with Betfair.

Sharapova is a tempting 22/1, though she hasn’t lifted the title since 2004.